Twice Lucky: Angels and Demons
by Evilclone
Summary: The next installment of the TL series, Angel and co go to LA . "The mangement aren't happy Angel, you've changed things, the rules of the game are no longer the same... but don't take my word for it, ask the powers that be as well."
1. Be All My Sins Remember'd

Twice Lucky

Angels and Demons

Chapter 1: Be All My Sins Remember'd

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The journey even if it was done at night time was still long and tedious, it hadn't helped that Cordellia Chase had had caffeine before they'd left, the reason she'd stated, was that she really hadn't wanted to be asleep in the back of a small car with two vampires in the front. She didn't have the need to pee; no it was more a mixture of nerves and excitement.

"Remind me again why I'm going with you?"

Spike who was sitting in the front on the right hand side of Angel turned and looked at her, he had the window open and the small trail of smoke from his cigarette was blowing out into the cold dark night. Spike looked at her for a moment, his eyes raking over her head and then lowering down her body, all the way down to her long legs. She grimaced as she thought of the nasty things he was probably thinking of doing to her, she just hoped that it didn't include eating her…

"Because your daddies broke."

Cordellia cringed at the memory, she'd shied away from Xander and his constant questioning of her fathers motives and had ignored his offerings of help and now she'd paid the price, however, she had refused to stoop so low as to ask him for a job and had eventually gone out and got one on her own. She hadn't been proud of it, not one little bit.

"Thanks for reminding me."

Spike shrugged his shoulders, looked her up and down and turned back to the front window of the car. He inhaled and let the smoke fall out of his nostrils. Cordellia sighed and wrapped the jacket tighter around her as she worried about her family.

They finally arrived at the prearranged destination, an old decrepit hotel, one since left too abandonment, and one that Xander had, using a means of which she didn't know, nor care to know, had purchased specifically for Angel. A gift he'd called it.

Angel breathed in when he saw the front entrance of the old hotel that looked in desperate need of fixing. A pity it had been a great place once.

"What is this place?"

Angel grinned and looked at Spike, who was pulling another cigarette out of its package. Spike placed it in his mouth, flicked open the small silver lighter and lit it. The soft glow from the tip of the cig lightening briefly.

"Hyperion hotel, I stayed in it briefly during the 50's."

"Good times those were." Spike said wistfully.

Angel nodded in agreement, "Wasn't a pleasant time for me, the people staying there were affected by a paranoid demon, I tried to help them and got hanged in the process."

"Nice." Spike turned and saw that Cordellia was standing in between them, he grunted at the cheerleaders comment.

"The hotel has a Thesulac demon." Angel stated.

Spike grunted again and took the fag away from his mouth, before eyeing the place up and down. "They're pretty dangerous mate, how'd you find that out?"

"Xander told me."

"Ah."

"Xander tells you everything doesn't he?"

Angel had stopped listening as the memories started floating in. He walked forward, up to the doors and pushed them open, letting the scent of the place fill his nostrils.

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"It's been a good 70 plus years and still your back for more!" The hooded creature that had appeared at the top of the stairs flashed its teeth at him, "And look you brought me desert!"

Angel moved quickly, running up the stairs in a blur that Corde had only seen Xander and Spike able to match. The creature was corporeal, and thus vulnerable. Angel moved quickly, pulling out a sword that neither of them knew he had, and with a guttural growl, let rip, slashing at the monster.

The creature didn't know what hit it, dead centre in the middle of its stomach. The creature screamed loudly, a scream that tore through the very fabric of the building. Suddenly the room was filled with silence. Angel dropped the sword and it hit the ground with a metallic 'clang.'

He sagged and leaned against the rail, lifted his nose up and sniffed. He could still smell her scent in the hotel. No wonder the demon had been staying here. Angel entered the room where the woman was crouching on the floor; she looked up dozily and smiled sadly. "Judy."

"I don't hear them anymore. - Are they gone?"

Angel walked and stood in front of her and looked down, his large shadow blanketing her. "Yeah."

He got down on one knee in front of her and slowly reached for her hand. Judy smiled at him: "It's you."

"Yeah, Judy. It's me." It was there, a smile, a small one that managed to creep its way up the vampires face.

Judy reached up and gently stroked his face, "You look the same."

"I'm not."

A single tear rolled down her aged face, "They killed you - because of _me_. I killed you."

The vampire felt a pang in his dead heart of hearts and shivered. "No. No. No."

"He kept them from the door. He told me I'd be safe. - Am I safe?"

Angel finally sat down next to her and pulled her to him "You're safe."

"Can I go out now?" Judy asked in barely a whisper.

"Yeah. You can go out."

Judy gave him a big smile and started to get up from her chair. Angel helped her up. "Let me help you."

"I just - I need to take a little rest first. Just a little rest."

"Easy." He knew she wouldn't last much longer, he could feel it in the air, Judy was dying, after all this time alone with the paranoia demon.

He gently lowered her to the bed, tears streamed down from her face.

Judy held on to his hands, "I'm so sorry I killed you. Can you forgive me?"

Angel looked down at her and nodded silently, leaned in close to her ears and whispered a heart felt 'yes'. She shivered, smiled and started to close her eyes.

"I'm just going to rest. Just for a minute - and then - I'm going to go out." Judy closes her eyes and died.

They went outside and dug a hole, it wasn't the first time they'd done it either. Spike and Angel sitting in a graveyard. The two took turns, using their superior speed and strength to dig the whole until it was six feet deep and reasonable enough for the body to fit in. This time however was different from the others.

This time they were digging a hole for a friend, who had at last found what they had been seeking all their lives.

Redemption.

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Cordellia had changed, all of them had changed, except, with her it was obvious. She puttered around the hotel doing various jobs here and there. And through it all Angel watched her. She had gone out and gotten a headstone for the grave, and even put some flowers down on it. She cleaned up the grass so that it was visible.

She was obviously upset by what had happened to her father but he knew as well as she that Xander's lawyers were already on the case. His lips quirked upwards at that thought.

She caught sight of it and smiled prettily.

"That's something I'd like to see more often." He arched a questioning eyebrow, "Smiling, it makes your face look so much more handsome."

She blushed, mumbled something about getting coffee and walked off. Suddenly Angel had something of an epiphany, he blinked and stood upright. Had that been part of Xander's plan? To send her here with him, because she loved him?

He shook it off, 'nah couldn't be.'

He grinned, and took a hesitant step towards the door, Spike was already on a mission to collect the other ring that would give him the same immunity to the sunlight and stakes. Years of painful memories were burned into his mind, fear of the sun and what it could do to him, he grimaced when he stepped out and raised his hands to sunlight.

The sun did nothing though, no harmful rays burned his skin and he didn't started smoking. Cautiously he lowered them and looked out around him. He breathed in the scent of the world around him and smiled happily.

It made him feel almost human.


	2. Ripple effect

Thank you one and all for all of the lovely reviews, most impressed…

Twice Lucky

Angels and Demons

Chapter 2: Ripple effect

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Spike was smoking again, this time in the front lobby of the hotel. It had been a week since they had arrived and already the trio were making waves. Angel had taken out several important clients of evil, yes evil, as in non-human evil type law firms with actual demons. And to think her father had said they were a bunch of evil S.O.B.s.

She grinned as she made her way down the stairs, marvelling at the old dirty and dusty banister. The Hyperion had been something in its day, right up to the point that the paranoia demon had decided to take up residence. After the good morning sir this is your wakeup call, with a freaking shotgun, the place had never been the same since.

Spike was still staring out the doorway, a haze of smoke trailing around him like an enthral aura. She hit the ground and padded over in her flip-flops. The vampire didn't so much as twitch, although she was certain, one hundred percent certain that he knew she was there.

"Anything good on TV?"

"Nope."

Cordellia nodded quietly as the Brit continued to stare outside, watching as the early morning traffic rolled by. She stood there, watching as well, fascinated by the people who walked back and fourth. One woman on her mobile, yapping away to some poor soul, another munching on a bagel, while another managed to dodge his way through the crowd while reading a newspaper.

It was life Jim, but not as she knew it. Cordellia sighed, "I'm going to make some coffee, want some?"

For a moment Spike said nothing, the cigarette clinging to his lips like it was glued there. He raised his hand and pulled it out and blew the smoke towards the doorway. He nodded ever so slowly.

She walked over to the machine, took it to the sink and turned on the tap. The makeshift kitchen finally had water.

"Oh thank god."

She turned the tap on and with a groan of annoyance it finally spurted out water in small gushes, after a full minute it finally gave up the ghost and let out a steady stream. She washed out the old coffee granules from the jug and filled it up. When it was full, she went back to the coffee machine and poured the water into the proper place, emptied the filter with a 'yuk' and dumped the dried out coffee beans. She then tore open a new bag and poured them into the new filter, put it back in and breathed the scent of fresh coffee.

She flipped the switch and the light turned red to show it was heating up, she grinned as slowly, ever so slowly it began dripping the dark liquid gold that had kept many a Starship captain awake, not that she would ever admit to Xander that she knew that, her secret shame.

"Smells good," Corde let out a little squeak. She would've thought that she would've been used to that by now, after all living amongst slayers, Xander and vampires, meant that she should've been able to at least get over the fact that yes they were damn sneaky.

Spike had finally decided to move and was standing by the counter, "Getting donuts love?"

She smirked, "Not yet, keep an eye on the coffee pot while I get changed and then I'll get us some."

Spike chuckled, "And the donuts pet."

"Keep dreaming sunshine," she said with a feral flash of teeth, and walked a little bit more quickly up the stairs, the chat and banter giving her a bit more of a bounce in her step. It was funny, she missed that, Buffy was downright testy when they fought, but Xander, she twirled a lock of her long brown hair in her finger; he always seemed to come back with a good and sometimes witty reply. She liked that about him, he never took it personally.

"Morning Angel." She said quickly as she passed him in the hallway, the vampire looked up and smirked.

"Morning."

She pushed the door open and stood on the edge of the entranceway, she looked at him sideways and studied him for a moment.

It was hard to believe that nearly a hundred years ago, he'd been wallowing in self pity and the faeces of human kind, living in the muck and dirt and living off rats. Now he looked different, stylish, his hair was clean, bushy…happy. His eyes twinkled with amusement, something she hadn't seen in them since she'd met him. His clothes were also clean, and not covered in demon goo for a change.

He wore leather pants, a t-shirt and a long dark trench coat similar to the one Spike wore, although, Angel hadn't taken his off a dead Slayer. She grimaced, as that was gross on many, many levels.

"Hey Angel…" The vampire nodded, "I'm getting donuts, want some?"

"Sure, grab me a bagel while your there."

She chuckled and watched as he jumped off the top of the stairs instead of walking down; falling to ones impending doom was always an easier way to reach the bottom.

She got washed, changed and put her make up on. If she was going out into the middle of LA, there was always the opportunity that she might get spotted and thrown into stardom, hell she wanted to look her best.

Once ready, she slipped on some decent walking shoes, no way was she wearing sneakers, grabbed her bag, and wallet. She looked down at it and smiled, Xander had been generous, very generous, and yet she had no idea why, he had topped up her bank account and given her cash for spending. She shrugged, not willing to kick a gift horse in the mouth. She then went to the stairs, bounded down and bid adieu to the two vamps who were chatting and drinking coffee.

"She's in a good mood," Angel mused as the scent of the coffee lifted to his nose. He breathed it in and let it fill his dead lungs.

"Yeah."

Angel nodded. "What's gotten into you?"

Spike frowned and looked at his sire, "What are we doing here?"

"Building Angel investigations…"

"Which is a good start mate," Spike turned around and eyed the smaller looking man standing in the doorway.

"Who are you?" Spike asked with a slight growl.

"Names…"

"Allen Francis Doyle, a Brachen Demon." Angel said with a knowing smirk, the demon flinched and nodded.

"Aye mate," he had a definite Irish twang to his voice.

"Francis?" Spike said with a snort. "What sort of a name is that?"

"One me mam blessed me with, show's my feminine side."

Spike chortled. "So what's a Demon doing here?"

"Half demon mate, and I'm here to lend a helping hand." Doyle decided to change the subject before he got into the nitty gritty details, besides, he wanted to wait until Cordellia arrived. "Way I see it, you hail from the motherland, Angel."

"That I do…"

Doyle smiled and ran his hand through his short brown hair, "that coffee fresh, could do with a cup at this time of the mornin'."

"Sure is," Angel got two cups and poured some coffee, one for Doyle and one for Cordellia when she got back from donut shopping. Doyle walked up to the counter and took the cup, lifted it to his nose and breathed it in, savouring the moment.

"Aye, small piece o' heaven right there." He smiled and took a sip of it, and winced when the scolding liquid touched his lips.

"Watch out its hot…"

Doyle frowned at the bleached blonde vampire. "Thanks for the advice mate."

Spike chuckled.

The doors banged open and sunlight streamed in, Cordellia strolled in, sunglasses on her face and several bags in each hand. Both vampires growled at the smell of freshly cooked donuts.

"Who's this?" She stopped dead when she saw him, if it'd been one of the vampires it would've been funny. She looked at him over the rim of her glasses. "Visitor, paying customer or someone one of you two need to kill."

"Yes," Spike pulled out a packet of Marlboro lights, "No, considering the last option."

"Hey!"

"Well you are a demon mate and we normally kill those."

"True," Angel said in agreement. "Although I didn't kill Whistler."

"Ah, so it's your fault bad clothing day is still alive."

Angel smiled broadly at Spike, "yeah sorry 'bout that."

Cordellia meanwhile had made her way over the counter, put her shopping bags in one pile and breakfast bags in the other. She pulled out the bagel, which Spike smelled and made a grab for.

"Hey!"

"See I knew he'd do that," Cordellia smirked, and pulled out another bagel and handed it over to Angel, who nodded his thanks and gave Spike an evil glare.

She then pushed the box of donuts onto the table. Doyle grabbed one of those and smirked, taking a bite and smiling. When he was finished he took a sip of coffee and cleaned the sugar off his face.

"Right, way I see it, you know a lot more than I do."

"Yeah," Angel pulled out a large folder and placed it on the counter top with a thud, Doyle grinned and looked it over.

"Which explains how you know what you know."

"Yup." Angel nodded, "But we still need you, a contact to the powers that be isn't something to be scoffed at."

Doyle chuckled. His eyes twitched, his head swam and he would've slammed his head against the counter if Spike's hand hadn't been there.

Groaning, Spike helped him up.

"Well mates, look's like we got our first mission…"


	3. One hell of a date

Twice Lucky

City of…

Chapter 3: One hell of a date

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"You sure about this?"

"Please, I've got a hundred years of cracking safes open, I know what I'm doing."

Angel frowned at the bleached blonde vampire. "That wasn't exactly what I meant."

Spike sighed for the fourth time that night and looked up at his vampiric companion, his partner in crime, his toto. Which made him Dorothy, okay that was as far as that thought went. "Seriously Angel, this bloke was on the verge of necking Cordellia."

"Not to mention ew."

"He was a client of Wolfram and Hart."

"Good point right there."

Spike looked at Cordellia and then back at the leather clad Angel, "And he was an all around bad guy."

"Takes one to know one."

Spike frowned at the cheerleader who was now looking at her fingernails with great interest, and shrugged his shoulders, "Besides the guy was an ass."

"Takes…"

"Not another word," Spike pointed a finger at her, "Remember I don't have a soul like pansy over here so I have no problem with a little snack." He now had Cordellia's full attention; she then stuck her tongue out at him. "Good, now will you two please let me finish."

Both female and vampire shrugged and looked at Spike who gave a 'thank you' look before continuing. He turned the dial and after a few moments smirked as a click sounded out. He opened the safe and grinned.

"Lady and," he looked at Angel, "Well anyway, I present to you a big bundle of cash."

Angel grabbed the bag, they grabbed everything in the safe and piled it in, and made a run for it. Cordellia and Spike with their bags of goodies. The three made it back to the ladder, climbed up and over and with Doyle driving made a clean getaway.

The car pulled up to the Hyperion hotel and three got out when Doyle parked it, and made their way to the living room and deposited the three bundles on the table.

"So mates, what we going to do with this find."

Spike had been thinking about that. "I know a banker who can help me out, the firm caters to vampires and doesn't ask questions. It'll provide us with everything we need."

"We've got about fifty thousand in cash right here."

Spike picked up a wad and chucked it at Cordellia, "Buy yourself something nice."

"Ha ha, maybe you can get a hair cut while you're at it." Angel sighed as the two started bantering.

"Not bad for a night's works."

"Speaking of which," Cordellia yawned, "I'm getting some sleep."

She stopped with an evil grin. "Spike don't try anything, I had garlic earlier."

And walked off.

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"You sure this is the place?"

The group looked at Angel, the vampire smirked and nodded, "First place on the list."

"Can't believe Harris gave us a list," Spike said as he lit a cig. "Almost like he doesn't trust us."

"Doesn't trust you," Angel pointed out, his long-term companion shrugged. "Well let's get this done then."

Cordellia sighed and put on her best smile and strolled up the red carpet. Now this was her thing, going into hip hop night clubs where she would get noticed by potential agents and producers, acting was the career she'd like to get into, eventually, when she became good enough, and D'Oblique was definitely the place to be.

She walked up to the counter and ordered a cocktail and found a seat, she sat at the bar and surveyed the area. The barman smiled politely and handed it over. "Thank you."

"Your new round here."

Cordellia looked to a woman roughly about her height, blonde hair and blue eyes; she had a slightly cold look, one that became associated with seeing too much to early on in life.

"Yeah," Cordellia smiled, she was probably a cop. "Moved to L.A this week in fact, I was hoping to meet an agent, maybe break into acting."

The woman nodded politely.

"Word of advice," the blonde said, Cordellia leaned in closely to listen, "Be careful."

Oh she would, she thanked the 'officer' and went back to her drink. She could spot Angel sitting in a dark corner in the room and Doyle not so far away, Spike on the other hand because of his 'style' was located outside in the van that Xander had given them, fully equipped with all sorts of gadgets that made Willow swoon with jealousy

"Hi…"

She smiled again this time at the barmen who had looked after her a moment ago, she struck conversation with him as the two talked she learned about him, where he lived and how long he'd been in L.A, he also told her about some of the clientele who went to the bar often, some of them in the film business. This caught her attention and she listened, hanging on his every word.

"If you'd like I can introduce you to one of them?"

She smiled and agreed a time and a date, she then left without a backwards glance. When she stepped outside she met up with Spike, who grinned and held out the crook of his arm.

Kate Lockley watched from the shadows, completely undeterred by the strange nature of the man holding Cordellia's arm, the two seemed to be friendly, but the guy seemed harmless enough, no he wasn't the killer at all.

She sighed, looked about the crowded bar and decided to call it a night, she felt where the gun butt was sticking safely inside its holster and made her way home. As she walked past an alleyway, Angel stood quietly in the shadows watching and smelling her. He smiled and also turned back home.

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She'd made the connection and they'd gone out on a date, the man had taken her around town and had shown her some of the touristy areas, and the not so touristy areas, places where the general public did not usually go.

The date had ended up with him dropping her off the Hyperion, she invited him in for coffee and they walked into the main lobby. He suddenly found himself surrounded.

"Uh, hey guys…"

Angel smiled as he stepped forward, "No one messes with our girl."

"Uh, look I didn't do anything."

"Not yet mate," Spike said from behind him.

The barman snarled loudly, his features morphed and a parasitic demon lurched out of him with an incredible speed. It went straight for Angel, who held up his axe and with a swing worthy of any baseball team, cut it in half. The creature wailed loudly and fell to the floor in a greasy slimy mess.

"Good job boyos."

The group turned to Doyle who was standing a little off to the right, Angel smirked, "As the new guy."

"He gets to clean up the mess," Spike finished.

Doyle groaned loudly. Cordellia walked over and helped Daniel the bartender off the ground, the man groaning, blinking rapidly.

"Hey."

Cordellia smiled, "Hey."

"That must've been one hell of a date…"


	4. Only human

Twice Lucky

Angels and Demons

Chapter 4: Only human

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He'd been following the man for a week, watching every move he'd made, every breath and every action he'd taken. He drew in a cigarette and let the smoke drift lazily up into the morning air, he breathed in the scent, so many people milling about, going about their daily lives without so much as even giving him a glance. Fine by Spike, he liked it that way, as he was being incognito.

God, he grinned as the man bought a newspaper, it made him feel good, like old times as he and Dru would pick a target, it sent a thrill up his spine, which was followed closely by guilt, he missed her, nutty as a fruit cake but good in the sack.

Spike listened to a conversation that was happening, the next on the list of subjects was a woman being followed, Melissa Burns, did indeed look stressed. From his vantage point he had a good clear view of what was going, Ronald Meltzer was supposedly an acclaimed neurosurgeon who performed critical surgery on an infected nerve behind her eye, he was very good at what he did and fell in love. The man had been stalking her ever since, using a means that most normal human beings couldn't do such as taking apart pieces of the body.

Disgusting, that was the word to use. Spike knew from personal experience that falling apart on a girl was not the way to get one, hell he remembered a certain gypsy he'd fallen for and even then she'd placed a curse on him. He started following the good doctor at a discreet pace; he didn't necessarily need him in eye contact as he could follow him by smell.

They were watching his every move, Angel had called up the short straw and had to trail the man at nighttime while Spike got the ring and followed him during the day. He thought about all the nasty things he could do with it, hell he was invincible, he could probably take on Buffy…but he wouldn't, not with Harris and two other slayers and that demon bitch lurking about.

Harris, one hell of a conundrum right there, knew stuff, stuff that Spike hadn't told anyone, stuff that Harris shouldn't know. And Harris had confronted him about it, his past actions, hell even his own mother. Spike felt the old pang of sorrow at what he had done and knew deep within his dead heart that the kid was right, he like Angel, whether or not he admitted it, was seeking redemption. This was the best step forward.

Literally, Spike followed the poor girl into a shop and smirked when she looked around, she couldn't spot him but Spike knew where the good Doctor was. Spike strolled past her and into the shop she was going in and she almost had a heart attack.

Interesting, he picked up a book and looked at the cover, it was one of JK Rowling's latest Potter books, he flipped through it, could be interesting. The bird nervously came in and walked past him, time to put on his acting hat.

He stood next to her as she hid by one of the book stands and very quietly said, "Love you won't know who I am, but I know you, I also happen to know that you're being followed by a man who has something of a crush on you."

She jerked visibly and started to say something and turned to face him but he told her not to, "We don't want to be noticed, he's got eyes everywhere."

She shivered and nodded.

"Is there a toilet in here?"

She nodded, "Good, go to it, I'll join you in a second."

The vampire took one of the assistants aside and spoke to him quietly, he handed the young man his card showing him that he was a P.I. and that he was helping a woman, he wanted the man to get a female co worker to follow him, discreetly. Seconds later a more mature looking woman walked in and introduced herself, Spike shook her hand and made it look as though they were talking about a book of some sort, a minute after that he made his move and ducked into the toilet with her a short distance behind.

"What exactly is going on?"

"Miss Burns is being followed by a Doctor who has got something of a crush on her; he literally falls to pieces thinking about her, in fact." Spike flashed a grin and with a flash pulled something from the top of the toilet door. "In fact…"

In a swift move Spike grabbed the hand that had been sitting on top of the toilet door just out of view, the older woman paled, but to Spike's surprise Melissa didn't.

He smiled and looked at the supervisor who looked like she wanted to up chuck everywhere, "Be a love and step outside for a moment."

The woman nodded. Spike turned around to Melissa and smiled, he then lifted the hand up to his eye. "Hiya Doc, my names Spike, as in William the Bloody, you may have heard of me, this, mate, is the only warning you get."

He placed the squirming hand down on the ground and crushed it, the eyeball squelched and the hand went flat as he crushed all of the bones. "Looks like he's gonna need a hand donor."

Melissa smiled grimly at Spike's humour.

Outside the man screamed loudly enough to draw attention from passers by.

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"And in here we have the bathroom, very modern everything a girl could want." Melissa didn't know what to say, the young brunette Angel's secretary was showing her around a new home that had only recently been built by XH services, whoever they were, they had paid for everything, furniture, clothes, food, you name it.

"Who are XH-services?"

"A privately owned company, a very big organisation, which you and I both have the privilege of working for." Melissa blinked.

"Miss Chase I thought you said."

"Please call me Cordellia, it sounds so formal," Melissa smiled and nodded, "I do work for Angel investigations, but they are a smaller branch of XH-Services."

"Oh."

"Mr Harris was very pleased with your CV," truth be told it was actually Giles who had looked it over, the old Watcher was the head of the company for the moment, a proxy until Xander came of age and could officially take over.

"XH-services have a very good dental plan, health insurance, pension scheme and medical plan, work hard and work well, and they'll look after you."

"What's going to happen to my old house?"

"Its going to suffer an accident, which is why we moved all of your stuff out of there today, and the insurance company will pay in full due to faulty wiring."

Melissa shivered, the day had started out bad, really bad, and then in a moment all of her prayers were answered in the form of a knight in shining armour. To top it off, he'd then offered her a job, she'd gone to see a very professional and stern looking woman, who'd looked over her CV and accepted her on the spot. It turned out they were looking for staff as they'd just opened a branch in LA.

Life, Melissa figured, was finally on the up.

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The man was tied up, bound and gagged with lots and lots of duct tape and was unable to fall apart to escape, they had researched his condition and had found out that the best way to stop him from doing this was by getting something that smelled strong and putting it in the house, that way he wouldn't be able to concentrate.

The man gurgled something in his gag.

"Sorry mate," Spike was standing over him, "No sympathies, if you'd just left her alone."

The man snarled something. Spike shrugged, "Been called worse."

Spike walked over to him and looked down into the one eye that showed fear, "You know, I asked Harris, told him about your condition and asked what the best way of dealing with you was, he said extreme heat, it would burn all of you and make sure nothing would survive."

"Do you know what he gave me?"

The man shook his head, "This," he held up a small canister with a ring attached to it, it looked like a grenade just not as deadly, "Is an incendiary Phosphorous grenade, very nasty."

Spike smiled.

"Say hi to the Devil for me, tell him I'll see him soon."

Spike pulled the pin and placed it between the guy's legs, the man shook himself but was unable to free his arms.

As Spike walked down the stairs he flexed his ears and heard the scream, hot potatoes, Spike thought with a smirk.

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

… … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Why is Mr Harris doing this?"

Cordellia stopped at the question, opened her mouth to speak and then closed it. She shrugged, "Because he can."

"But why help me?"

"I don't know the answer to that," the ex cheerleader shook her head, "I don't know why he does what he does, or even why he helps people, he's one of the few souls around that actually gives a damn, I'll give you a piece of advice, don't kick a gift horse in the mouth."

With that advice, Melissa smiled and thanked whatever God or God's were looking out for her and unpacked.


End file.
